A CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) method or the like is used for polishing a semiconductor substrate. In the CMP method, a carrier and a platen rotate in the state where the carrier holds a semiconductor substrate to press the semiconductor substrate onto a polish pad provided on the platen. During the rotation, the polish pad polishes the semiconductor substrate while slurry containing fine abrasive grains is being supplied onto the polish pad.
However polishing while supplying the slurry is a cause of raising a cost of manufacturing semiconductor devices. Moreover, reduction in a slurry supply amount decreases a polishing speed, so that the semiconductor substrate cannot be efficiently polished.